Help with Rickenbacker Electro Model B Lapsteel 1934 (I think)

[pipelineaudio]

Example of a very similar guitar: https://reverb.com/p/rickenbacker-e...-Shop_unpaid&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google

This guitar was the personal guitar of some super famous steel guy, and was just purchased by one of his former students, another super big but more modern steel guy. It is doing some CRAZY sounding stuff, as if it has an amplifier overloading in it. I'm thinking either the electronics went weird in a way I've never ever heard before, or the pickup is somehow doing some insane saturation by maybe some of the insulation in the windings failing

Its nuts.

This particular guitar was only a volume control no control as in the one pictured

So I need help finding the original wiring for it and possibly what could be done if the pickup itself is bad. Any hints?

 

[Floyd Eye]

Dane Wilder
Dale Fortune
Mark Arnquist

Find one of these guys. Dane builds Ric wiring harnesses, the other two guys worked at Ric for years. All are in SoCal I believe.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Thanks, i have reached out to Mark so far, trying the others as well.

Any idea if really broken pickups could make this sort of thing?

 

[Reverend Bow]

https://www.steelc6th.com/jerry_byrd_knowledge.htm

Is it that one?

Cool project

@pipelineaudio

https://www.horseshoemagnets.net/home/rickenbacher/wiring-schemes

 

[pipelineaudio]

Its his!

 

[pipelineaudio]

 

[Floyd Eye]

Thanks, i have reached out to Mark so far, trying the others as well.

Any idea if really broken pickups could make this sort of thing?

I really wouldn't know brother. I know the horseshoes ( the originals not the Hi-Gain replicas Ric sells today) can become demagnetized, but I don't recall hearing anyone describe them behaving the way you described.

Full disclosure, I'm really only familiar with the 4001s.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Made fast friends with Mark Arnquist. Thanks for that! He told me what to check and we may be sending the pickup to him. Testing it now at a show.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Made fast friends with Mark Arnquist. Thanks for that! He told me what to check and we may be sending the pickup to him. Testing it now at a show.

I've known Mark for over 20 years. Great guy. Excellent luthier.
By the way, don't know what I was thinking. Mark is in Washington state not California. Was near Seattle but he built a new shop a couple years ago, not sure where. Now that I'm thinking about it, Dale is in the PNW somewhere too I think. Furthermore I really have no idea where Dane is these days. lol

 

[wierzbowski]

I've always heard the Ric lapsteels were among the best. Hopefully you get the electronics sorted out, Jerry Byrd was a legend and instruments should be played!